Tuesday 27 September 1836

27 September-All the early part calm; at half past eleven, having a light breeze from the westward, got under way. We had shallow water after proceeding about three miles up the Gulf, as little as three and a half fathoms four miles from the shore, at three p.m. we came to anchor in three fathoms, about four miles from the shore, latitude 34°31′ south. From this position we could distinctly see the head of the Gulf as laid down by Flinders, and the opposite shore-nothing could look much worse, mangroves and very low swampy looking ground seemed to surround this bight. I now despaired of ever finding the beautiful harbour described by Captain Jones, but the jolly-boat with Mr Field was sent in shore to see if anything like an inlet could be found, although the very fact of our having only three fathoms water at such a distance from the land, and the water having decreased in depth so gradually as we came up the Gulf, was quite enough for my own mind; but to be more certain the jolly-boat was dispatched, and Mr Field returned, after running some distance along the shore, with a conviction that no harbour could exist there; having only one fathom of water at so great a distance from the shore, which was very low and covered with mangroves. I therefore determined on returning to the last anchorage in the morning, and sending Mr Pullen in the hatchboat to run down as close to the shore as he could, that he might see if any inlet had escaped our observation while coming up.